After Heath Ledger tragically passed away from an overdose at 28, only months away from the release of the film that would bring him his only (and obviously posthumous) Oscar, "The Dark Knight," when he forever changed the role of Batman's nemesis, The Joker - but could Jared Leto's take on the "Suicide Squad" Joker compete with him?
In the months since filming wrapped for the DC Comics adaptation, multiple cast members like Will Smith and Margot Robbie have spoken about the "Suicide Squad" Joker, saying how much Leto got lost in the role during production, with Smith even saying he never actually met the Oscar-winning actor out of character.
Charles Roven, one of the film's producers and one of those in the team of people creating the DC Cinematic Universe as they catch up with Marvel's seemingly unending one, recently spoke to Collider about the "Suicide Squad" Joker - and it's really tough not to get excited over Leto's take on the role.
. "He did in many ways isolate himself from the rest of the group, but that's really what his character was, the purpose of his character in many ways, other than when he was with Harley or trying to get Harley," said Roven, Comic Book reports, when discussing how the "Suicide Squad" Joker ended up serving as a way for everyone else to bond - and bond they did, as they famously even tattooed each other. "It was very entertaining, it was fuel for a lot of good sport and a lot of laughs, and his isolation bonded the squad, and we wanted the squad bonded."
As The Mary Sue reports, there has been a growing "hype machine" surrounding Leto's "Suicide Squad" Joker over the past few months, as the star is a famously rigid follower of the Method - and there's still Ledger's perfect Joker to compete against.
Leto's "Suicide Squad" Joker will hit theaters on August 5, 2016, after "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice."
